Take Backs
by HopeIsHere16
Summary: That night, Belle banished Rumplestiltskin from the town, unaware that she was pregnant. Five years later, the residents of Storybrooke are once again ripped away to the Enchanted Forest, this time with even more danger lurking on the horizon. Eventual Rumbelle, featuring Captain Swan.
1. Chapter 1

**Take Backs**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time!**

**Author's Note: While we wait for OUAT to kick back up in March, I hope you all enjoy my humble tale :) I have two chapters after this written, and will update weekly. The next chapter of As He Lay Dying is in the works as well, but I couldn't get this idea out of my head! Now, before you begin reading, I'd like to offer a quick side note for any shippers who might be concerned. My primary goal in writing this is to keep everyone as in-character as possible, and I'm striving for as realistic and canon as I can get. So whether you're in support of a couple or not, please just give it a chance to see what happens :) thank you all so much and don't forget to review!**

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><p><em>Her name is Elizabeth.<em>

He had known about her since she was two years old. She was beautiful in every sense of the word, according to the man who'd told him about her in the first place. He had never seen her himself; in fact, he didn't even have a picture of her. But she was a tiny thing, with wisps of dark hair on her head. She had the most stunning, enchanting eyes of any child in all the realms. And even at her age, she was too smart for her and her mother's good.

As soon as he was informed of her existence, he knew he would not rest until she was in his arms. He'd spent one lifetime trying to reunite with a child, and he was more than willing to give up another for his precious daughter.

_Her name is Elizabeth._

It was a regal, fitting name for a girl, he thought, but had he been present for her birth, he might have suggested something else. Perhaps something more traditional, such as Annaliese or Emealia. But no matter her name, he still loved her. He adored and worshipped the very idea of her.

She would be powerful, he knew; not only was she his child, she was also a product of true love. Perhaps not love as strong as that of _Snow White _and _Prince Charming_, but love just the same.

He knew Elizabeth's mother still loved him; she had made a mistake by abandoning him, and for all he knew, maybe she regretted it. Maybe she would be pleased when he reunited them. He would finally be able to demonstrate to her that he loved her more than his power.

_Her name is Elizabeth Anne._

He'd been five years without the magic. He'd thirsted for it ravenously all the time, craving his addiction, longing for the feeling it brought him. He'd comforted himself for all that time knowing that soon, he would be able to wield it freely once more, and this time, he could use it to protect his wife and child.

Storybrooke's population had grown considerably since he'd last set foot there. It was as if all those lovely couples were enjoying their happy endings, and children were appearing all over the place, a number of them considerably powerful.

They would be so much more powerful when he brought them all back to the Enchanted Forest.

It was time for another curse.

_Her name is Elizabeth Anne French. And I will find her, or die trying._

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><p>Chapter I<p>

"Elizabeth, darling, where are you? You'll be late to supper!"

Six year old Elizabeth emerged from the gardens as soon as her mother had spoken the words, a huge grin on her face. She'd had a most fascinating afternoon; she'd encountered a sick rabbit, who had three little babies to look after, and she'd been able to use the glowing in her hands to heal her. Her mother would be absolutely thrilled with her good deed! Mud stains on her pink day gown and lilac petals strewn through her thin brown hair, she skipped merrily through the front doors of the French Estate.

"_There_ you are!" her mother exclaimed upon seeing her. Belle, worried lines etched upon her forehead, knelt to her daughter's level and began to smooth her wrinkled clothing. "What have I told you about going further than the east wall, Eliza? This isn't like Storybrooke; this land is much bigger, and there are all sorts of creatures lurking about. You must be safe, young lady."

"I _was_ being safe, mother." the annoyed little girl huffed, her lilting accent melodic to her mother's ears. "And I didn't go anywhere near the wall."

"Then why could I not see you?" challenged Belle lightly, taking Elizabeth's small hand and guiding her to her bedroom. Once they had reached their destination, Belle peeled the dirt-stained clothes from her child's small form, and put them aside. As she began dressing Eliza up in a more elegant, mint-colored dress, the little girl answered,

"But I was in the gardens, mother, just next to where the lilac trees are blooming, and you'll never guess what happened!" It was obvious that Elizabeth was absolutely bursting at the seams with excitement to tell her mother whatever had transpired since tea had been served an hour and a half ago.

"What happened, precious?" asked Belle, a merry smile slipping onto her face. She had an awful time ever trying to be stern with Eliza for too long; the child was so charming and sweet, she had every adult in the kingdom in the palm of her tiny hand, including her grandfather, who spoiled her rotten.

"There was a mother rabbit with her three babies in the gardens!" Eliza cried out. Belle failed to see how such an occurrence was special or unusual in the least, but gave an interested smile anyway.

"That's lovely, Eliza."

"But the mother rabbit was very sick." Elizabeth's face suddenly sunk in, seeming heartbroken at the thought of anyone in pain. Belle began to see why her daughter might wish to talk about a sick rabbit, as the child had had very little experience with anything of the sort.

Belle knelt to Elizabeth's level once more, and met her gaze steadily. She spoke softly, "Darling, sometimes animals fall ill. So do people. And it's important to remember that it isn't your fault. You couldn't have helped that rabbit, Eliza, all you can do is -"

"But I _did_ heal the rabbit, mother!" shouted Elizabeth jovially, literally jumping up and down with her news. "It happened again! My fingers began to glow, and when I touched the rabbit, she was well! I like to think that she and her babies will be very happy in our gardens."

Belle was very taken aback by this piece of information. She'd only seen Elizabeth exhibit signs of magic two or three times before, and they had been only a faint glowing on her hands. Belle had continuously dismissed these as tricks of the light. She could ignore what she was seeing, but not the countless times Eliza had spoken of the "magic lights" that she sometimes saw on her fingers. This, however, was the first time that these occurrences had bore results. There was no denying it anymore - her sweet, innocent Elizabeth had powers.

_They can be used for good_, Belle reminded herself sternly. _Emma uses light magic, and so does Regina._

_But Elizabeth is _his_ daughter too_, another part of Belle argued. _And this magic certainly isn't just the results of true love as Emma's is. The source of this power is dark._

Belle stopped Eliza's jumping, and met her gaze again, more seriously than before. She spoke very slowly, trying to make sure that her daughter would absorb the words she was about to say with as much brilliance and intelligence as she did nearly everything else. "Listen to me very carefully, Elizabeth. Do you know the little girl you sometimes play with, Princess Olivia?"

"Of course, mother." Elizabeth smiled, but her tone was every bit as serious as her mother's. Sometimes, she sounded too much like a little adult. "She's my best friend in the world."

"Yes, that's right." Belle smiled. She kissed Elizabeth's forehead lingeringly before continuing. "You're such a brilliant girl, Liza. Do you also remember Princess Olivia's mother? She's very pretty, you've met her many times."

"Princess Emma?" asked Eliza smugly, knowing that her answer was correct. She had a very good memory, and was sure her mother would be proud of her for it.

"Yes." Belle smiled as calmly as she could manage. "And you've seen Emma use her magic before, haven't you?"

"Yes." replied Elizabeth casually. "Sometimes, she makes butterflies appear in the castle courtyards for Olivia and I to chase. And last time I was there, I scraped my knee when I tripped in the corridor, and she healed it for me. I don't even have the cut anymore!" Elizabeth seemed completely in awe of Emma's magic.

Belle nodded. "Princess Emma uses magic to do a lot of good things for people, Liza. She helps many who live in the Enchanted Forest. It's hard for her, you see, since she's only lived here for a year, just like we have. But she's been using her powers a lot more now than she did when we all lived in Storybrooke."

"That's nice," smiled Eliza. "But why are you telling me this?"

"Because, my sweet, I believe that you have powers very much like Princess Emma's." The words weren't exactly true. Belle was too terrified to admit the depth of her fear that Elizabeth's powers would be too much like Rumple's. However, seeing as her daughter had no idea that her father was the darkest, most powerful wizard in all the realms, she wouldn't understand.

"I knew it!" shouted Eliza happily. She began to twirl with so much excitement that she succeeded in wrinkling both her bed comforter and her dinner gown. "Oh mother, this is wonderful! Olivia will be so pleased! Do you think Princess Emma would teach me how to do what she does?"

Belle hadn't thought of that. She knew her child would need to be taught how to control her magic, but she hadn't considered Emma as a possible tutor. "We can ask her dear. I was also thinking of asking Queen Regina."

While Emma had wonderful powers, as well as control over them, Regina had been studying magic much longer, and given her excellence with children, Belle had faith that her daughter would be in good hands with either of them.

"That would be lovely, mother." teased Eliza, giving her mother a dramatic curtesy. Belle was about to reply, when the voice of one of her father's servants interrupted her.

"So sorry, milady, but I've been asked to inform you that dinner is served."

Belle turned to the nervous looking gentleman with a gracious smile. She'd seen him once or twice in Storybrooke; he'd been a worker for her father then as well, only in the flower shop instead of the estate. She was disheartened to notice sweat dewing on his brow. "No disturbance at all, sir. Eliza and I are quite ready for dinner, so thank you for letting us know. And no need for the formalities - Belle will do."

The man seemed slightly more at ease, bowed once rather unsteadily, and dashed off in the direction of the dining hall. The French estate may not have been as large as Belle's old home had been before she'd agreed to work in the Dark Castle, and her family's status may not have been quite as high, but they were still far wealthier than they knew how to manage, and the estate was plenty big enough to get lost in.

"Stay close, Eliza," said Belle quietly, latching onto her daughter's warm, frail fingers. "I fear you'll lose yourself in these corridors one day yet."

Dinner was uneventful, Maurice spending most of it doting upon his daughter and granddaughter. He'd become a most devoted companion to them since their return to the Enchanted Forest, and loved having them in his home. Though he had seen Eliza at least every week in Storybrooke as well, it was an entirely new experience seeing her on a daily basis. He adored it.

That evening, once all had quieted down, a telegram arrived for Elizabeth via a stable boy from the palace. Elizabeth had torn the envelope open eagerly, excited at seeing the elegant script from the castle on paper just for her.

"What does it say?" asked Belle curiously, trying to read over Eliza's shoulder. Her tiny daughter stuffed the card into her skirts quickly, and reported its contents to her mother.

"Princess Olivia has invited us to ride to the castle tonight to have cocoa with her parents. She said you're to come too, mother. Can we go, oh please can we?"

Belle chuckled heartily; some things didn't change. Even though Emma was of the highest nobility in the land and meant to behaving as a Princess, she still invited friends over casually for cocoa. With cinnamon too, no doubt!

Unable to refuse, Belle told Eliza, "Retrieve your cloak from your Grandfather's study, and be ready to leave in a few moments, alright?"

"Hooray!" And in a flash, Eliza was gone. Maurice's study was the one room in the estate she could dash too without getting lost, as it was where she spent the most time. Many days had been spent there, pouring over the book shelves with eager excitement.

Belle went to prepare the carriage for their journey, unaware that her daughter had been lured away from finding her cloak by a most unusual magic.

It was a glowing butterfly; as innocent as anything. It looked very much like the ones Princess Emma could conjure, so Eliza had followed instinct and chased it. In the back of her mind, she pointed out to herself that this was odd, as no such butterflies had magically appeared out of thin air in her home before, but the child in her ignored such qualms, and followed the creature dutifully. It led her far away from her Grandfather's book room, and instead took her to the back doors, which Eliza knew would lead to the gardens.

"Wait, Mr. Butterfly!" she cried out. The butterfly stopped flying at her command, and patiently waited while she caught up with it. She sputtered out, "Mother and I are meant to make way for the castle, now, to see Olivia. I can't go play in the gardens tonight."

"Can't you go to the palace another time?" The butterfly asked in a strange accent that Elizabeth couldn't quite place. She gasped in shock, however, that the insect could speak at all.

"Wow, you can talk!" she exclaimed, taking a step closer to the bug to examine it. "I've never met a talking butterfly before. What's your name?"

"I can't tell you my name here," the butterfly whispered. Poor Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"Why not?" she asked innocently.

"There is a spell in your house on my name," he told her cautiously. "That's why I wanted us to go outside, perhaps to the east wall? I just want you to be my friend, Elizabeth."

"That's not fair! You know my name, but I don't know yours." pouted the young child. She tucked away some loose strands of hair behind her ears with frustration.

"I'll tell you what," the butterfly said in a strangely parental way of bargaining. "You run along and play with your friend tonight, and tomorrow morning, wake up before sunrise and meet me by where you rescued those bunnies this afternoon."

"You saw me do that?" asked Elizabeth excitedly.

"Yes, I did." said the butterfly. "You did a very nice thing, dearie."

"Why thank you," said Eliza, giving her new friend a curtesy.

"So listen closely now," said the butterfly. "Meet me tomorrow by the lilacs. And don't tell your mother, okay? This will be our secret."

"Our secret," Eliza affirmed.

"Do we have a deal?" The butterfly asked coyly.

"We certainly do!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Eliza excused her lateness to her mother with a claim that she'd lost her way to her Grandfather's study. That should have been a warning sign, but Belle overlooked it. She and Elizabeth made their way to the royal palace with nothing out of the ordinary happening at all. They laughed and teased as they had the whole of their relationship, and entered the "living room" of Emma's wing still giggling.

It still felt foolish for Belle to use the phrase "living room" when she was talking about the royal palace, but it was what Emma wanted. She'd needed familiarity after arriving in such a strange land, and had asked for a lounge to be built next to the chambers she shared with her husband. Entering this living room felt like stepping back into Maine for a moment - magic had done wonders to replicate the simple amenities once found in the realm in which Storybrooke had existed. It was the only place in the Enchanted Forest where one could find a modern-looking couch _and_ a working television.

"It won't play cable since that doesn't exist here," Emma had sighed. "But the curse brought my mother's DVD collection, so we should be set for life."

Emma and Olivia were already there when Belle and Elizabeth arrived. Peter Pan was playing on the television set, which had had mother and daughter's full attention until their guests had arrived.

"Miss Belle! Elizabeth!"

Princess Olivia rushed forward to say hello to her friends. She was about the most energetic child Belle had ever seen in her life. She was an inch or two taller than Elizabeth, with striking aquamarine eyes and thick locks of dark hair. She was a lovely little girl, and the perfect companion for Eliza.

"Hello dear," chuckled Belle. As Olivia and Eliza began chatting away nonsensically, making their way to the television as they did so, Emma moved to greet Belle a great deal more calmly.

"Hi, Belle!" she said happily, hugging the woman before her. Though Emma still looked uncomfortable in her dresses, for the most part, she had adjusted to her role as Princess beautifully. "I'm happy you and Elizabeth made it. Olivia's been wanting to show her Peter Pan for a while now."

Belle had learned long ago to detach her memories of Rumple from _anything _she could encounter in daily life. So she chuckled warmly and asked, "And just what does your husband think of this particular movie?"

"I think it's an interesting piece of _fiction_, as it is obviously not at all based on real events." Belle heard the voice of Emma's husband from behind her, and turned to see Killian Jones enter the room with a tray of steaming hot cocoa. His face held a most amused smirk. "Besides, I think what they did to that Captain Hook fellow was bad form. I hear he's actually quite the -"

"-dashing rapscallion," Emma finished. She laughed at the dumbfounded look on Killian's face. "Awe, come on, Killian, I've heard your thoughts on this cartoon a million times."

"Be that as it may, you've got to let a man finish his thoughts on his own, Swan." claimed Killian, setting down the cocoa on the table next to the two children. They thanked him before eagerly attacking their treat.

"It's Jones now," Emma pointed out lovingly, giving her pirate-turned-prince a kiss on the cheek. "Has been for a while, or had you forgotten?"

"Aye, I forgot." Killian said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Must've had too much rum at the wedding. Who are you again?"

Belle watched as the charming couple continued to banter back and forth playfully. She couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy at their actions. Perhaps she and Rumple had never acted quite like _that_, but _she'd_ thought they'd understood each other on that same kind of level once. Oh, how very wrong she had been.

She missed their love. She missed believing that he _loved_ her. She longed for the nights together when it was just the two of them, talking in whispers for hours about the life they had known, as well as the one they would have together forever. What she did not miss, however, was being lied to every single moment since the day she'd said "I do."

"Did he say who cursed us?"

Emma's statement snapped Belle back to reality like a rubber band. They'd been trying to uncover the culprit behind the curse that had sent them back to the Enchanted Forest since the moment they had arrived. Besides ripping them from Storybrooke, no one had been able to uncover what else the curse had done, and that was worrisome to say the least.

"They found the traces of magic that led to its casting," said Killian in a low voice, just loud enough that Emma and Belle could hear. They were obviously trying to keep this discussion away from the girls. "Whoever did it left a trail from Storybrooke to here. We couldn't find _them_, but Regina studied what we did find and said something quite interesting."

"What?" asked Belle eagerly, anticipation clear on her face. Killian went on.

"The caster's intentions."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, wrinkling her brown in confusion. "Why haven't we ever been able to see a motive in any curse _before_ now?"

"Because whoever did this _wanted_ us to know why, love." explained Killian. "David, Regina and I discussed this for quite some time. The culprit had pure and honest reasons for bringing us back here, and while they could have certainly gone about it differently, they were only trying to accomplish a truly worthy goal. This leads us to believe that it was no villain as we had thought, but more than likely a citizen of the town who simply missed home."

Emma sighed, and a conflicted look rested in her eyes. Her eyes darted to her daughter, then Eliza, then Belle, then back to Killian. She said roughly, "That makes me so _angry_ that someone was selfish enough to cast a curse to take us away from Storybrooke. I've come to love the Enchanted Forest, but-"

"There's no use in getting upset, love." said Killian, rubbing Emma's back soothingly with his good hand. "What's done is done. Let's just relax and enjoy the movie."

"Why do I feel like there's more to this?" grumbled Emma grumpily, turning her attention to Belle. "Curses are never that easy. Was homesickness really worth the price they must have had to pay?"

"No," agreed Belle. "But it's all we have to go on. We've been here for a year and nothing bad has happened. We can't waste our lives waiting for something to, especially since we have children."

"I guess you're right," admitted Emma. She turned back to the television, but Belle could see the gears turning in her mind. The Savior wasn't going to let this go. And part of Belle was glad for it, because if there really was something darker going on, she wanted it to be taken care of as soon as possible.

By the time the movie ended, Olivia and Eliza were both fast asleep. Emma had been able to put her worries aside long enough to thank Belle again for coming and see her off. A servant was ordered to carry Elizabeth back to the French carriage, a deed for which Belle was certainly grateful. When they arrived home, she woke her daughter long enough to put her to bed, and then retired to her own chamber, where nightmares and unrest greeted her with open arms.

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><p>It was twenty-five minutes before sunrise when Eliza woke. She thanked her natural alarm for allowing her to keep the deal she'd made with the butterfly, and then slipped quietly out of bed. She proceeded to throw a cloak on over her nightdress and boots over her slippers. She tied her hair out of her face by way of a light pink ribbon, and then left the house unnoticed.<p>

When she arrived at the lilacs, she was pleased to see her new rabbit friends still there and fast asleep, but was disheartened to discover that the butterfly was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm here!" she said loudly, putting her small fists on her hips. "But you aren't! You broke our deal, Mr. Butterfly." Eliza, obviously upset, started to march back towards her home. The voice of the butterfly, however, stopped her in her tracks.

"I didn't know you would be so anxious to see me," he said, his tone somewhat surprised. Elizabeth whipped her body around to face him, but discovered he was still nowhere to be found.

"Why can't I see you?" Eliza asked skeptically. She heard the butterfly sigh.

"Your mother had a spell placed on this property. A lot of other people did the same. I can't meet you here. Come - follow me to the East wall. I can show myself to you there."

"Are you bad?" Eliza asked without pretense. The butterfly laughed outright.

"My, aren't you a little spitfire? You're so much like your mother."

"You know my mother?" Eliza asked in wonder. A brisk wind began to blow through the gardens, and the child wrapped her cloak more tightly around her. "And what's a spitfire?"

"Nothing that you should worry about, dear." The butterfly said. "Now please, come to the wall."

Eliza could hear how desperate the butterfly was to see her, but she couldn't help but worry. "Mother told me not to go there."

"You don't have to go past the wall," the butterfly assured her quickly, really sounding desperate now. "I promise. You can stay on one side of the wall, and I'll talk to you from the other side. You can climb on top of it to see me, it's not that high."

"Why have a wall then?" Eliza asked suspiciously. She'd never been close enough to the wall to see it for herself, but it didn't make sense to build a short wall if it would do no good to keep anything out.

"You're a smart girl," said the butterfly in a proud sort of way. "The wall wasn't built to keep people out with brute strength, Elizabeth. It was built as a symbol of where this estate begins and ends. It's what the _spell_ uses to keep me out."

"Why should I meet you if you're not supposed to come in?" asked Eliza. "And if the spell keeps you out, how are we talking now?"

"Magic," said the butterfly mystically. Eliza's eyes widened at the word and all it implied. The butterfly continued. "I happen to have a lot of magic, dear. And I could teach you, if you'd like."

"I already have a teacher," Elizabeth said proudly. "Mother is going to ask the Queen _and _the Princess to help me!"

"I taught the Queen all she knows, dearie." The butterfly stated. If possible, Eliza's eyes opened even further in shock. "But not all _I_ know. I could make you the most powerful sorceress in the world. Would you like that, Elizabeth?"

Eliza's mouth fell into an O-shape, and she breathed out, "Yes, please."

"Then come to the wall. I'll be waiting."

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><p>Belle woke up at sunrise with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Long ago, she may have tried to ignore the feeling by passing it off as the aftermath of a nightmare, but she knew better now. Call it a premonition or motherly instinct, but Belle wouldn't feel better until she saw that Elizabeth was safe in bed.<p>

She dashed, still in her nightgown, to the door of her daughter's bedroom. She slowly opened it, and poked her head inside. She saw a still form beneath the blankets, and let out a sigh of relief. She was fine.

Feeling foolish now for getting so worked up over nothing, Belle walked to where her daughter slept, and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead. No sooner had she moved the blanket out of the way than she discovered that the form she'd seen was only pillows, and Eliza was nowhere in sight.

"No!" cried Belle in anguish, and she darted through every corridor of the estate calling, "Elizabeth! Elizabeth!"

Her child did not answer her, and the feeling in Belle's stomach grew worse. By this time, every servant employed by the French family was searching for Eliza with extreme worry. Maurice, too, was looking in every corner for his tiny granddaughter.

"I'm going to look in the gardens!" Belle informed everyone as she stepped outside. The morning air was harsh, and the frozen dew upon the ground sent chills through her feet, which were only protected by thin socks. In her haste, she had also gone without donning a cloak, which was a sore foley.

"Liza!" shouted Belle in dismay. "Liza, it's your mother! It's time to come home now, please, we're all worried sick about you!"

No answer came, so Belle ran through the maze of gardens as if her life depended on it. She tried to comfort herself with thoughts that she was overreacting and Elizabeth was most likely fine, but she couldn't stop believing in her heart that something was genuinely wrong.

It wasn't until she'd nearly reached the East wall that Belle heard her daughter's voice reach her ears. Just as relief coursed through her veins, however, Belle heard another voice. One she hadn't heard in six years. One she'd both longed to hear again, and prayed she never would.

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><p><strong>So that's it for chapter 2! Chapter 3 is longer, and my favorite one I've written so far (though this one was fun too!) so I hope you look forward to reading! You can expect new chapters once a week on Sundays. It can be an OUAT fix until March! Below are reviewer responses thanking my lovely reviewers individually, but I would also like to thank all who have followed or favorited! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me. I love hearing from you guys, it makes writing this so much more worth it :) have a lovely day!<strong>

**TheSilentPrincess: Thank you for the follow and the review! I surely do appreciate it. Thank you for your kind words about the story, and I hope you enjoyed Chapter 2 :) ****Belle'sdarkangel: Wow, good guess! Though I guess it was obvious I'm glad you picked up on the butterfly thing lol. I'm so glad you're enjoying the tale so far, and I hope this chapter was just as satisfying! Hope to see you around for Chapter 3!**

**jamie,wan,kanobi: I agree, she should tell Belle, but you won't have to wait much longer! She is going to discover her daughter's secret quite soon. Thank you for your review! Enjoy Chapter 3! :)**

**andria: I'm so happy you have such a positive feeling about the story, I hope Chapter 2 was just as enjoyable! I'll update each Sunday, so I hope to hear from you again!**

**anona: Indeed, he is! Unfortunately, that's quite a nasty habit to break, as Rumple has never been able to simply get something he wanted or deserved. He's always had to find his way through complicated means. Thank you for your comment, hope to see you for Chapter 3!**

**HookLiam: Love the screen name! I hope Killian's entrance into the story has made you happy. As I ship both Rumbelle and Captain Swan (and have just a love in general for the characters of Hook, Rumple, Belle, and Emma) you can expect to see all four heavily throughout the story. Thank you for reviewing, and enjoy the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

The man looked funny, but Eliza held back any comments that might have offended him. He'd been right - the wall was only a few feet high, and with determination, Eliza had managed to climb it. He'd been waiting for her on the other side. He had scaly green skin and huge, milky eyes. His hair was a strange color that Eliza couldn't quite place, but as strange as the man appeared to be, she could tell just by looking at him that he possessed great power.

"You're the butterfly." Eliza said. It wasn't a question.

"That's right," the man said in awe, his eyes drinking in the sight of Elizabeth ravenously. She was the most beautiful thing he had seen since his son was that age over 300 years previously. She was the perfect mix of both of her parents, taking in the best traits of each and then adding her own unique touch. As he watched her stare at him as politely as she could, he began to feel a reason to become a better man again lodge itself into his heart. "I was the butterfly, Elizabeth. I wanted to meet you without frightening you."

"Why should I be frightened?" asked Elizabeth nervously, shaking a bit from the cold and a bit from fear. The man who stood before her noticed this, and without a moment's hesitation, offered her his own cloak. It was much larger than hers was.

"Here," he said, handing her the cloak. "This will keep you warm."

Eliza took it from him, and wrapped herself in the warm material. She instantly began feeling better, and calmed down a bit. After all, this man had shown her nothing but kindness as of yet.

"Thank you." And then, Elizabeth smiled at him gratefully. He felt his heart constrict.

"You're welcome." he replied genuinely, giving a small bow. Elizabeth laughed a bit.

"Are you going to tell me who you are now?" Eliza asked, curiosity beaming in her gaze. She saw the man watch her doubtfully for a moment, before seeming to come to a decision.

"Yes, I'll tell you who I am." he told her quietly, his voice barely a whisper. It was almost lost in the whipping winds, but Eliza was able to hear him. "Elizabeth, I'm your-"

"Elizabeth!"

Eliza and her new friend both turned to see a disheveled Belle running towards them with fury and conflict in her eyes. The man was too stunned by her presence to speak, but Eliza, of course, didn't have that problem.

"Mother, come meet my new friend!" Eliza called excitedly. The man tried to shake his head, but it was too late. Belle was already marching to where they were, her hands balled into fists.

"Eliza, get in the house." said Belle angrily, not even sparing a glance at her husband. She didn't need to see him to know he was there.

Elizabeth's eyes welled with tears. "But mother, he was going to tell me his name. He was going to teach me magic!"

If possible, Belle became even more agitated. Tears springing to her own eyes, she said in a thick voice, "Elizabeth, go inside _now_!"

Eliza's head slumped down, and she hopped from the wall. She turned back once in an apologetic way, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Butterfly."

And then she ran off in the direction of the estate.

Belle worked up her nerve for a moment, and then turned around and came face to face with the broken shell of a man who stood before her. She began to cry, but not out of weakness. Weakness would have been running away and not speaking with her daughter's father at all. No, _this_ was strength.

"What are you doing here?" asked Belle, her tone short and clipped. The wall that separated her and Rumple gave her great comfort, and she realized with a start that he'd built a similar wall between them at the start of their marriage. It was all so symbolic, in a way.

"Belle..." he whispered brokenly, sounding every bit like the tortured soul she'd fallen in love with all those years ago. This time, however, Belle refused to fall for his tricks.

"I _asked_ you what you're doing here!" Belle demanded, her voice rising. Her face was cold, though tears were falling rapidly down her cheeks, blurring her vision.

Rumple's hand reached out as though to touch her, but then he thought better of it and the shaking limb fell back to his side. He admitted, "I just wanted to meet her."

"You have _no_ right!" Belle shouted, her voice cracking with anger. And suddenly, she was back at the town line in 2014 in Storybrooke, telling Rumplestiltskin never to return.

"I have every right!" Rumple declared somewhat angrily. Though he _looked_ like the imp who'd saved his son from the Ogres Wars, his voice was that of the estranged pawnbroker, Mr. Gold. "She's my daughter too, Belle!"

"No, she's not!" cried Belle. "You weren't there, Rumple! _I_ was the one who raised her, _I'm_ the one who soothes her and dresses her and plays with her!"

"But I _would_ have been there," he argued miserably, his already veiled eyes becoming mistier. "You were the one who forced me away, Belle."

"No," disagreed Belle, her voice choking with a sob as she shook her head slowly. "_You_ did that, Rumple. You were the one who drove me away. So I just returned the favor."

Belle began to walk away, and heard Rumple, who was gripping his side of the wall with such force it drew blood, call to her, "Belle, please! Belle, just say my name one more time, Belle, please..._just say my name one more time_!"

Belle turned only her head, knowing what he wanted. If his name was spoken three times, the enchantment that protected the French estate would be broken, and he'd be able to enter and leave as he pleased. So she merely said, "Goodbye," and she was gone.

* * *

><p>Belle and Elizabeth didn't go to breakfast, but neither of them was very hungry anyway. Instead, Belle went to her daughter's room and sat on her bed with her, as they needed to have a talk.<p>

For a while neither of them said a word. Elizabeth sat against her plush purple pillows and stared at the crystal light fixtures on the wall. Belle didn't offer any words either, content to sit there and play with the beads that were sewn onto Eliza's comforter. And then, finally, the child asked, "Who was he?"

"I cannot say his name." said Belle uncomfortably. Her claim did not deter her daughter.

"But who _is_ he?" she wondered. "How do you know him? Why can't he come into our house?"

"I don't know how to tell you any of this, Eliza." admitted Belle, feeling like she was at a complete loss for words. After everything that had occurred since dawn, she was feeling very out of sorts. Her head was a jumbled mess she just couldn't make sense of.

"Is there someone who can?" Elizabeth asked innocently. Belle's heart shattered; the poor girl just wanted to know the truth.

"If I kept something from you to keep you safe, would you hate me for it?" asked Belle, recognizing that this conversation was one very seldom had between a mother and her six year-old.

Eliza knew that she could never hate her mother no matter what she did, but she felt she had to ask, "Who is deciding if it's safe or not?"

Of all the questions Elizabeth could have asked, Belle had not considered an answer to that one. She pondered in silence for a moment before saying, "I am. Because I'm your mother, and right now, I know what's best for you. Can you understand that?"

"Yes," Elizabeth sighed. "But I want to know. Can't I help?"

"Not this time, sweetheart." admitted Belle, kissing her daughter's forehead. Her lips lingered there for a moment, taking in the precious moment. She and Rumple may not have had a happy ending, but she would always love some part of him, as every good thing about him was evident in not only their child's appearance, but also in her heart. "I love you, Liza."

"I love you too, mother."

* * *

><p>Belle informed the royal family of Rumplestiltskin's existence in the Enchanted Forest the next day. The only two not exactly shocked by this news were Emma and Regina, who both said that it shouldn't have been a surprise, since the imp had only been banned from Storybrooke, not the Enchanted Forest.<p>

The first thing Killian thought of was how to keep the Dark One out of their lives completely. "Belle, do you not still have the dagger?"

But Belle had already thought of this. She'd torn apart the estate the previous day, but the dagger was gone. She hadn't used it since the day she'd banished Rumple, but she'd kept it locked away in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, it appeared that Rumple had broken in, or hired someone to steal it, as it was no longer in Belle's possession.

"Well," Snow White said after a minute of thought. "Belle, your home is protected, and so is the palace. We could dispatch Emma and Regina to the other subjects in our land and offer them protection as well? It won't get rid of him completely, but he wouldn't be able to do nearly as much damage if he can't get in anywhere."

"Why can't you make another prison for him?" Killian demanded. He didn't like the thought of the bloody crocodile roaming free. What if he went after Olivia?

"He won't be tricked again, Jones." said Regina, as if that was the most obvious thought in the world. "And he was only caught last time because he wanted to be. Cinder-wench wasn't a convincing liar _whatsoever_."

"Regina, stop." said David, a stern tone entering his voice. "I agree with Snow. Our top priority is our people's safety."

"What about my daughter?" Belle nearly whispered, tears springing to her eyes. Emma gave her a sympathetic look.

"She doesn't know, does she?" she asked.

As Belle shook her head the tears came, which most of the royals thankfully ignored. They understood how difficult this all was on poor Belle, and they couldn't imagine being in her shoes. "I couldn't tell her. He tried to, but I stopped him. She'd want to believe in the best of him, but I _won't_ let her make my mistakes." Her words came out shaky and wobbled, small hiccups occurring in between breaths.

As Emma and Snow began to console the distraught woman, Regina said to herself, "It's _his_ curse."

"I beg your pardon?" Killian questioned, having been the only one to hear the Queen's comment.

"Think about it," Regina said louder, her eyes widening with understanding. "The last time he cast a curse was to be reunited with his son. In Storybrooke, the imp wouldn't have been able to see Elizabeth. But if he knew of her existence, wouldn't he want to?"

"How did he know about her in the first place?" David asked, entering the conversation.

"Maybe he had someone on the inside?" Regina guessed. "There are infinite possibilities. My point is, he wasn't shocked to find her here, and if he wanted to take her away with him, this realm would have been his best chance."

"I think you're right, Regina." stated David firmly. "We must inform the people immediately."

"I'll send word to Robin to return from his journey," nodded Regina. "I'd like him to be home until this is over."

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find my daughter." said Killian urgently, a protective gleam in his eye. "Not that I don't trust the nanny, but with the crocodile running around, _I'd_ like to be the one protecting her." He kissed his wife quickly before dashing from the room. Emma's eyes followed Killian's form as it ran out the door and in the direction their daughter's bedroom. She sighed to herself quietly; she had to be with them. She _had _to keep them safe.

"I should go, too." said Belle, considerably calmer. "He got around the spell once by conjuring a butterfly to speak with Eliza. If I'm not home with her, he might try something again."

"Thank you for coming to us, Belle." said Snow, offering the woman a final hug. "Stay in touch, alright?"

"I will," Belle promised.

"And if you ever need a place for Elizabeth to be when you can't be with her, she is always welcome here." swore Emma, her eyes as serious as could be. "Liv would enjoy the company, and we won't let _anything_ happen to her."

"Thank you so much." said Belle fervently. "For everything." After a series of goodbyes, Belle was on her way home with determination in her heart.

* * *

><p>Killian Jones hadn't been this agitated in five years.<p>

He'd been in quite a state during Emma's entire pregnancy, that was for sure. And when she'd delivered Olivia and he'd been told there were complications, he'd been completely inconsolable. It was the first time he'd ever cried in a public building. Everything had worked itself out, and she was perfectly fine, but those minutes when he hadn't known what was wrong had been the worst kind of torture imaginable. But now, all of those feelings of fear and anguish were completely overshadowed by the anger which his heart was swelling with at the news that the crocodile was roaming free.

It was no secret that there was animosity between the two of them, and while Killian was sure that the bloody Dark One's primary focus would be on his own daughter, he couldn't help but worry that in his spare time, he might feel like dishing out revenge and taking out his hatred of Killian out on Olivia.

Killian would not let _anyone_ touch a single curl on his child's head, least of all Rumplestiltskin.

When Killian burst through Olivia's door and ordered her nanny away in a frenzied, almost maddened state, the little girl was startled to say the least.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" she asked fearfully, her eyes wide with concern. Killian lost himself in their blue depths. She had his eyes exactly, but they somehow looked more beautiful on her perfect face.

"Come here, love," said Killian in a soothing way, opening his arms in welcome. Olivia ran to her father, and wrapped her own arms around his neck. She squeezed hard, holding onto him for dear life.

"Daddy, why are you shaking? Are you cold?" Olivia's innocence was almost too much for Killian to bear.

"No, sweetheart." he told her. "I'm shaking out of _anger_."

The words did nothing to scare Olivia; on the contrary, she became only more concerned. "Who made you mad?"

"A monster," Killian growled, gnashing his teeth together. "A foul _crocodile_, Liv."

Olivia's eyes welled with tears. "Daddy, please protect me from the monster!" She squeezed Killian's neck even harder than before.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Livvy." Killian swore. "Not as long as I'm alive. I'll skin that crocodile before he even gets a proper _look_ at you."

"Thank you," Olivia whimpered, her tears staining her father's vest. Killian ran his calloused fingers through his child's hair in a protective, possessive way.

The battle between Captain Hook and his crocodile wasn't over yet.

* * *

><p><strong>That's it for chapter 3! Things are starting to get intense! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Thank you to everyone who has read, followed, favorited, and reviewed, it means so much to me to hear what you all have to say! Whether you enjoyed or not, I would love to hear your comments, so please review. Thanks much everyone, and see you for chapter 4 :)<strong>

**belle'sdarkangel: thanks for you review! I'm glad you are enjoying it. Yes, I definitely want to fully explore all of her feelings towards Rumple here since their relationship is so complex. Hope I'm doing them justice!**

**andria: I'm glad you like it so far, thank you for your comment! It took a while to get her small little conversation with Rumple just right (I was going to wait until later to have them speak at all but as I was writing this just seemed to work), and don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from! And if you like Emma and Killian, they'll be major players in this story too :) thanks again!**

**jamie,wan,kanobe: yes, Belle's intelligence is something I really want to keep going, I hate that she was so blindly trusting Rumple in recent episodes and "ignoring the signs" as she put it in the finale. Belle is a smart girl, and she will remain so throughout the tale. Thank you for reviewing!**


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